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Open-File Report 2007–1269

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Open-File Report 2007–1269

Modeling the Spatial and Temporal Variation of Monthly and Seasonal Precipitation on the Nevada Test Site and Vicinity, 1960-2006

By Joan B. Blainey, Robert H. Webb, and Christopher S. Magirl

Abstract

The Nevada Test Site (NTS), located in the climatic transition zone between the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts, has a network of precipitation gages that is unusually dense for this region. This network measures monthly and seasonal variation in a landscape with diverse topography. Precipitation data from 125 climate stations on or near the NTS were used to spatially interpolate precipitation for each month during the period of 1960 through 2006 at high spatial resolution (30 m). The data were collected at climate stations using manual and/or automated techniques. The spatial interpolation method, applied to monthly accumulations of precipitation, is based on a distance-weighted multivariate regression between the amount of precipitation and the station location and elevation. This report summarizes the temporal and spatial characteristics of the available precipitation records for the period 1960 to 2006, examines the temporal and spatial variability of precipitation during the period of record, and discusses some extremes in seasonal precipitation on the NTS.

Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Study Area
Precipitation Data and Geospatial Characteristics
Multivariate Statistical Analyses
Results of Spatial Interpolation of Precipitation
Study Limitations
Conclusions
References Cited

This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe PDF Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Download the report (PDF, 2 MB)

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Send questions or comments about this report to the author, Joan B. Blainey, (520) 670-6671.

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